 LOCAL | |
Sydney rallies for WikiLeaks founder 10/12/2010 | 04:08 PM | |
More than 500 people rallied outside Sydney's Town Hall on Friday, to protest against the public prosecution of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange.
Mr Assange is currently under arrest in Britain on Swedish rape charges.
At the protest Greens Senator-elect Lee Rhiannon criticised the government's response to the 250,000 documents leaked by Wikileaks in recent weeks.
"Julian Assange is an Australian," she told the crowd.
"That makes me and I'm sure it makes you feel very proud.
"But we can certainly not feel proud of our government."
Prime Minister Julia Gillard insists the actions of Mr Assange - who is an Australian citizen - and his WikiLeaks website are illegal.
But the federal government is leaving it to the Australian Federal Police to determine whether Mr Assange has broken any Australian laws.
Pirate Party spokesman Simon Skew says whistleblowers are essential to democracy.
"Public disclosure is in the public interest and it's completely legitimate," he told the heavily-policed protest on Friday.
"We have a right to know about our government's operations and the circumstances and behind their decisions and policies."
Protesters at the rally, which coincided with International Human Rights day, were vocal about their support for Mr Assange.
"As an Australian citizen. He's got the right to be defended against people calling for his assassination," one protester says.
"He's got the right to a fair trial and due process and if he doesn't get that then human rights are certainly being violated."
Supporters repeatedly yelled "shame" and "I am Julian Assange" during speeches by several people.
Earlier in the day, NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge said WikiLeaks had increased transparency and should be applauded for "opening the door on the inner workings of government".
"There are few rights more important than freedom of information," he said.
"Without transparency and freedom of information, decisions occur behind closed doors without any accountability."
WikiLeaks boss Julian Assange is currently in a British jail as Sweden seeks his extradition on rape charges.
Mr Assange is currently under arrest in Britain on Swedish rape charges.
At the protest Greens Senator-elect Lee Rhiannon criticised the government's response to the 250,000 documents leaked by Wikileaks in recent weeks.
"Julian Assange is an Australian," she told the crowd.
"That makes me and I'm sure it makes you feel very proud.
"But we can certainly not feel proud of our government."
Prime Minister Julia Gillard insists the actions of Mr Assange - who is an Australian citizen - and his WikiLeaks website are illegal.
But the federal government is leaving it to the Australian Federal Police to determine whether Mr Assange has broken any Australian laws.
Pirate Party spokesman Simon Skew says whistleblowers are essential to democracy.
"Public disclosure is in the public interest and it's completely legitimate," he told the heavily-policed protest on Friday.
"We have a right to know about our government's operations and the circumstances and behind their decisions and policies."
Protesters at the rally, which coincided with International Human Rights day, were vocal about their support for Mr Assange.
"As an Australian citizen. He's got the right to be defended against people calling for his assassination," one protester says.
"He's got the right to a fair trial and due process and if he doesn't get that then human rights are certainly being violated."
Supporters repeatedly yelled "shame" and "I am Julian Assange" during speeches by several people.
Earlier in the day, NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge said WikiLeaks had increased transparency and should be applauded for "opening the door on the inner workings of government".
"There are few rights more important than freedom of information," he said.
"Without transparency and freedom of information, decisions occur behind closed doors without any accountability."
WikiLeaks boss Julian Assange is currently in a British jail as Sweden seeks his extradition on rape charges.
